Exploring Beningbrough Hall and Gardens
A National Trust property with wonderful old trees and a great walled garden in North Yorkshire, England
A place Matt and I like to visit regularly throughout the year is Beningbrough Hall, a National Trust property in North Yorkshire, England. It is located between the villages of Beningbrough and Newton-on-Ouse, a few miles north west of York.
The elegant Baroque hall contains some interesting architectural features with an Italian influence. There are displays and guides in the rooms open to the public explaining the history of the hall, its furnishings, and its various residents.
The hall also hosts regularly changing art and photography exhibitions that are definitely well worth checking out.
Of course being lovers of gardens and nature, it is the parkland and gardens that keep us visiting regularly.
The Parkland
The hall is surrounded by elegantly landscaped parkland consisting of woodland, green meadows, grazing cattle and lots of ancient trees.
Because we visit regularly we can appreciate the parkland throughout the year. The seasonal changes are, of course, particularly apparent in the trees which look different on every visit.
The three photos below show the same five trees in summer, autumn and winter.
Sadly we have seen some of the ancient trees damaged by storms over the years, like the ones shown in the photo below.
An interesting feature in the parkland is an excellent example of a ha-ha, also known as a sunken fence. This is a landscape feature which effectively prevents cattle and/or sheep from entering the formal gardens, while not interfering with the view from the gardens and hall.
From a distance you really cannot see that it is there - hence the name ha-ha.
Another interesting feature is an old water tower and pump house beside the River Ouse, which used to bring water to the hall.
The Beningbrough estate has around 380 acres of parkland. In addition to the views from the gardens there are a number of trails of varying lengths through the woodlands and to the River Ouse. The woodland walks are great for stretching the legs and spotting wildlife, though some of the paths can be rather muddy after wet weather.
The Formal Gardens
Closer to the hall lovely flower gardens provide an abundance of color and interest throughout the year. There are lots of different areas to explore, including walled gardens, a Pergola, beautiful mixed borders and a lovely new Mediterranean garden with water features.
For somebody who loves photographing flowers (like me), the gardens are perfect.
In summer there are lots of butterflies to be seen in the flower gardens, like the lovely red admiral and small tortoiseshell below:
There is an impressive collection of Dahlias of different types, which provide great color and interest in late summer and autumn.
Further interest is provided by a Victorian laundry, potting shed, and various courtyards and outhouses.
Throughout the gardens there are lots of benches and covered seats, so you always find somewhere to sit and enjoy the views over the gardens or parkland whatever the weather.
In autumn I love the gorgeous purple berries on a Callicarpa shrub and the colorful ivy leaves, shown below:
And in winter there are flowering witch hazel and Mahonia shrubs, and many interesting seed heads, so there is always something to admire.
The Walled Kitchen Garden
I grow a lot of edible plants, and therefore love visiting kitchen gardens for inspiration and to check out different varieties. Beningbrough has a great walled kitchen garden, at its best in summer and autumn.
All sorts of produce is grown in the garden, including beans, Brassicas, onions, beets, herbs, tomatoes, soft fruit and much more. The produce is used in the excellent restaurant and sold in the shop.
There is an old glass house inside the walled garden. This contains a peach tree which has beautiful blossom in the spring.
It also contains an ancient grapevine from the 1800s, which looks completely dead in winter, but bursts back into life each spring.
Throughout the kitchen garden there is a huge variety of fruit trees, especially apples and pears.
There are many examples of espalier, cordon and fan growing techniques, whereby the branches are pruned and trained, often along wires, into specific shapes to keep the trees manageable and maximize crops.
Many people do not grow their own food these days, and I often hear people who are obviously surprised when they see how vegetables look in the garden. One that often causes interest is the artichokes, which look very impressive when they are in flower.
Squash and pumpkins are always very popular, with some of the pumpkins growing to huge sizes. It is fascinating seeing such large vegetables growing on such low sprawling plants.
There are usually staff and volunteers working in the kitchen garden, and they are happy to chat if you want information or advice.
If you find yourself in the York area and enjoy beautiful old trees, colorful flower gardens and interesting kitchen gardens, Beningbrough Hall is a great place to visit.
Practical Information
Opening times vary - see website below for details
Entry - free for National Trust members, entry fee for non-members
Car park, toilets, gift shop, plant sales, coffee shop and restaurant
Good paths and many benches
Wilderness play area for families
Dogs allowed on leads in most areas
Website: National Trust Beningbrough
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Another wonderful guide to a place I’ve not visited but certainly will now. Beautiful work 👏
I absolutely loved this post! What a fantastic place to visit! How I wish I could visit there if I lived nearby rather than half a world away. I loved the ha-ha hidden wall! So clever! I loved the three photos of the same trees in different seasons! I loved the flower photos! And those purple berries! So stunning! I loved the espalier and cordon trained trees! Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing! It felt like I was able to tour right along with you! 😊